The Duck-Rabbit's Imperial Stout is extremely big and robust. This special beer is thick, jet black and oily in texture. Complex flavors of roast malts dominate: bitter chocolate and espresso coffee especially. There is also a very big hop presence both for bittering and for aroma. At 10% alcohol by volume, this brew is made to be sipped and savored!

Reviews by Thur123:

This beer pours an opaque and slightly brown black color. The look of it reminds me of still black oil. There is little to no head on the pour and a slight caramel brown ring at the edge. The smell is raisin and plums, with a slight bit of figs. Very little discernable hop presence which I like, it mellows out the whole profile allowing the dark and deep characteristics take over.

Glug glug glug

The initial flavor actually contains more hops than I smelled, but in addition to that there is the aforementioned fruit with tons more roasted malt than I smelled, almost to the point of it tasting somewhat burnt at the end. There seems to be a kind of blackberry tartness involved in the palate as well. There is a bit of heat at the end, but it's nothing that's not subtle. Awesome RIS, would always buy for its awesome and simple refinement. (847 characters)

More User Reviews:

Nice to try a new offering from DR,poured and opaque black with a tight mocha colored head,big roasted malt aromas and French roast coffee a touch of dark fruit and the alcohol seemed to creep in a little as it warmed.I found this to be quite earthy for and Impy stout quite good but Iam not sure if thats on for the style,anyways dark roasted coffee and raw earthiness mainly in the finish dominate here just a tad of dark fruit.Alcohol becomes more evident as it warmed all in all not bad,thanks to hoppedup for sharing last night. (533 characters)

Pours into my glass a deep, dark black like the inside of a cave with only a sliver of dark brown on the bottom edge. A surprisingly big two finger head of creamy mocha foam sits atop and has good staying power. Aromas begin with roasted and toasted dark malts. Burnt marshmallows collide with a bitter chocolate. Notes of sweet toffee and caramel meld in with some dark fruit accents. I get a touch of anise as well. Good show.

First sip brings roasted dark malts to the forefront and moves into burnt marshmallow and toffee notes. Bitter chocolate makes its way in with a touch of coffee as well. As it flows down I get some dark fruit flavors and a oak quality. The brew finishes dry with a bit of anise and spice and a lingering roasted flavor.

Mouthfeel is quite big, however there's a tingly carbonation that I get with each sip that takes away from the viscous, creaminess I usually enjoy in an imperial stout. It's not as heavy as I expected, but it still drinks like a meal. Overall, a tasty brew to have as a night cap on a chilly evening in Illinois. I would grab this one again if I had access to it. Cheers to Duck Rabbit and to Pop The Cap for making this 10% brew a legal reality! (1,197 characters)

Pitch black. Two finger dense light chocolate brown head which slowly shrank to pillowy mounds. Biggest head I've seen on a brew of this octane. Laces in a near solid sheet down the glass. Nicely done.

Nice mix of toasted aromas and dark fruits. Raisin, fig and plum really come through and work with the subtle sweetness of alcohol. Some milk chocolate a bit of toffee work their way in as well. Truely an inviting aroma on this one...

Taste starts a bit sweet and crisp on the tongue. After swallowing is when it really comes out. A bit of bitterness of dark toasted malts start and then some expresso and coffee really start to hit. Flavor continues to linger for quite a while in the form of chocolate. Very nice flavor, definately not subtle at all, except for the alcohol which is very well hidden.

Mouthfeel is oily but feels a bit thin, probably medium in body overall, like most russian impy stouts. Coats well and the flavor really hangs in there. Drinkability is good, the in your face flavor could become overwhelming. A very good brew and a awesome first shot by the "dark beer specialists". (1,181 characters)

Poured into a Duck Rabbit snifter, this beer looks awesome! A solid, frothy tan head rests atop an opaque black stout. Though the full head dissipates to a patchy covering, the spotted top's darkness distinguishes this beer. The head is really dark brown, and it screams RIS!

The smell is so very good, and also so fitting of a an RIS. Catherine would be so pleased. It's like dark fruit (plums) with fig roots and chocolate. That sounds kinda disgusting, but the aroma is awesome. I like neither plums nor fig (or fig roots, or even fig newtons), but this beer smells au natural like that with a sum far greater than its parts. It might not be like a candle (a la Founders Breakfast Stout), but it smells like a Russian Imperial should be.

This beer is fresh--the first I've found from this year's batch, and there's a tart type of sour semblance of ripe plums. Milk sugar and a chocolate-like component provide balance. It's not chocolatey like a chocolate bar, but that flavor is there like liquid poured thru a chocolate bean. It's sweet like bitter chocolate, fruity like a plum, and complex like an ancient riddle. Like most big stouts, the layering of flavors will increase with time. Still, fresh out the barrel, this is an undeniably good beer.

Mouthfeel is exceptional. This is among the best beers in a 12oz bottle, and it holds its own among even the baddest of big boy beers. It's like a milk stout on acid. Though I'm no Michael Jackson, this beer is as multi-faceted as a fine wine. Paul could put this under wax and no one would bat an eye. It feels fantastic.

It's big and bad with depth. Undoubtedly I'm a homer, and this is the best beer in the Carolinas. Even for a Russian Imperial, it's a complex beverage, and I suppose that detracts somewhat from drinkability. For a double-digit ABV RIS, however, it's one of few of which I'd have two. (1,865 characters)

I used a snifter for this and got a nice inch and half or so head. This looks like coffee with a layer of chocolate foam on top. The color is dark, dark brown. You can't see through this, but you won't bother trying as you'll be staring at this lovely head.

Smells is some alcohol, plums and fruit, burnt caramel...it's good. Reminds of WWS from DFH, without as much alcohol bite. Taste is similar as well, but more mellow. It's much more fruity that I would expect and that is awesome. This isn't all chocolate malt and coffee, for a change.

This is pretty thick on the palate and leaves a coating in your mouth along with a bit of an acid taste. I like it, sort of like a beer lollipop, in a good way.

I'm not sure I could drink more than one, mainly due to the EtOH content, but it's good. I would buy it if I had that option.

I am so thrilled to have gotten some Duck Rabbit brews via Beer Powerball. If this is any indication, I am going to be begging for more. (1,026 characters)

Appears black in the glass with a light mocha colored head that retains pretty well. Roasted charcoal aromas paired with some earthy hoppiness, booze, and vinous smells. Taste begins quite ashy and earthy, maybe a bit vegetal too. It does transform into sweeter caramel flavors as it sits on the tongue, with a roasty finish, but doesn't start off good and finishes rather weak. I think I also got some lactose and cherry flavored Tootsie-Pop flavors too. Nice thick, full body, but it is too carbonated, which takes a way a little. This just seemed to be missing a lot for me, maybe I'll need to visit this one again sometime. (627 characters)

Big thanks to forgetfu for sending me this bottle. Always excited to try new beers from Duck-Rabbit.

The beer pours a black color with a tan head. The aroma is heavy on the chocolate, roasted malt, dark fruit and some alcohol notes. This smells exactly like what I want a Russian Imperial Stout to smell like.

The flavor is dominated by chocolate and roasted malt. I also get a lot of cherry notes as well as some other dark fruit. As the beer warms I get some coffee notes and a little bit of light smoke.

Flavor was not as aggressive as other RIS beers I've had. More subdued and "milky" in flavor. Tons of chocolate, dark fruits, char, grassy hops here, mixed with fresh milk. Again, It's tasty, but not as big and aggressive of some of the other heavy-hitting RI stouts. Don't get me wrong...it's damn tasty.

Nice mouthfeel. Oily. Slick. Very surprised to read the ABV at 10%. It's hidden very, very well here.

Very well-balanced. Extremely flavorful. A winner from a under-the-radar brewery. Well done! (858 characters)

Thanks to blackie for this brew. Pours as black as my heart. Smells of rich malt, coffee, and a hint of booze. Taste is malt, malt, and more roasted malt. Mouthfeel is smooth but the beer is so rich that it is a sipper for sure. Another fine beer from Duck-Rabbit.

12oz bottle best by 7/09 notched on the side of the label. Got this on a send from Kwakwhore a while back decided to try it on my Birthday according to the BA time. Served this in a large Delirium snifter poured an opaque very deep brown almost solid black with a very rich creamy mocha head about an 1" tall that slowy decended to a thick creamy everlasting coating leaving some small curtians of lace behind.

A very nice strong pleasing malt aroma very roasty/chocolaty with deep dark fruit and an inticing sweetness and a touch of molassess. Not an overpowering aroma,yet very inviting no real boozy aroma for 10%.My mouth is watering for a taste.

Wow! is this beer light and creamy with a plush/velvety feel. A clean fresh dark fruitiness at first taste with sweet maltiness and molasses with a hint of soy sauce,but not offensive at all,strong roasty notes with bakers chocolate followed by strong black coffee with burnt notes throughout. Rounds out nicely with a clean crisp sharp woody/earthy hop bite leaving tounge swelling pleasure with a pleasing dry chocolate fade, leaving a slick oily coating with a slight touch of pine. Enjoyable is the word here with amazing drinkability for the style. Does this beer have alcohol in it? I can feel it,but i can't taste it! A must try RIS one of the best, no doubt most drinkable.

The last of all the Duck Rabbit beer styles i've tried. I love this brewery. As the label states the "dark beer specialists" a title earned. Wish these beers were avalible in my area is my only complaint with this brewery. (1,558 characters)

Flavor is immediately rich and boozey, full of burnt coffee, smokey wood and thick chocolate. Hops contribute to the bitterness of the finish. Alcohol strength is signaled only by a slight warming of the cheeks.

Mouthfeel is moderately carbonated, but thick and full, almost heavy and chewable. Finishes tingly, a bit tannic.

Pretty drinkable for such a big rich beer, but sip this one. Thanks to MuenchenerKindl for sending it north. (592 characters)

Appears pitch black with absolutely no light shining through the body, pours with a short lived thick tan mocha head. It forms even fine lacing with each sip down my chalice.

Aroma has big luscious dark black patent malt roasted qualities of dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans. Another aspect is big fruity black cherry tartness with juicy over ripened plums soaked in alcohol. Robust complex characteristics that entice the senses and get you ready to sip on this Southern RIS.

Flavors blend nicely on the palate sweet dark chocolate and coffee finish of course, but that fruit comes out nicely to play like chocolate covered cherries chased with some nice booze. Herbal hops peek through here among the roasted malt with a touch of caramel sweetness in there as well. This RIS really has a lot of sweetness a nice change of pace from the hop heavy versions that have been popularized in the last 5 years.

Mouthfeel is full bodied slightly chewy in the body with a soothing alcohol burn in the finish. Nothing sits cloying on my palate a welcomed experience that I will seek again.

Drinkability is solid all around excellent version of the style. A perfect portion size, I'm okay with an occasional visit to 12 ounces of this brew, it's nice not having to commit to a bomber of some of the bigger beer styles. (1,321 characters)

T - very rich and flavorful brew with a strong dark roasted malt flavor dominating, especially in the finish. Hop presence is detectable. Dark roasted with some coffee but minimal burnt flavor. High ABV hidden; quite surprised to find out this is a 10% beer!

M - full and smooth body with light carbonation.

O - a very full flavored stout that is not otherwise challenging or bold. An easy recommendation. (756 characters)

All in all, this is a good stout that is easily attainable and a good representation of the style. It's on par with a Storm King or Samuel Smith but if I'm looking to get multiple bottles of a 12oz stout, I'm going for Expedition, Founders Imperial or Plead the 5th. (761 characters)